The Arts League, known as Art on the Square until it recently merged with the downtown revitalization group Spirit of Athens, hopes to open the warehouse as an art incubator within two years.

While new owner Jim Batson would use a portion of the warehouse for storage for his plumbing, HVAC, electrical business, H.C. Blake Co., he offered to lease 7,000 square feet to the art community for $1 a year to foster the art incubator.

The space would be portioned into stalls to be rented by artists where they could work, then display and sell their art. The public would be welcome to watch the artists and shop.

Trisha Black, director of Spirit of Athens, said Batson approached her about using the space.

“We’re grateful he thought of us,” she said. “He said this building would have more value if it were put to use than just being used for storage. We immediately thought of a space for artists. We’ve had so many requests and we’ve not had an affordable space for artists.”

She said the warehouse could also be rented for events.

Lehr said the plan is to keep the integrity of the building, a former cotton warehouse with an industrial appearance.

“It’s going to be very raw,” Lehr said.

The incubator will be called High Cotton Arts.

On Thursday, Batson and Spirit of Athens hosted a barbecue lunch in the W.E. Estes and Son storefront on Washington Street. The luncheon was to announce the merger of H.C. Blake, which has operated on Holmes Avenue in Huntsville since 1884, and W.E. Estes, also a plumbing and electrical business that has been owned by the Estes family in Athens since 1900 and has occupied the Washington Street building and warehouse since 1941.

Blake plans to keep the well-known Estes name on the business. Former owner Buzz Estes, a local historian who also conducts walking tours of the city, is retiring from the business but will have a presence at the new company.

Thursday’s event also announced efforts to create High Cotton Arts in the warehouse behind the business, which fronts on Green Street. Artists made pottery, painted and drew while visitors ate a free barbecue lunch.

“We wanted to have local artists working so people could get a feel for what the art incubator could be like,” Lehr said.